Book Review - You Raise Me Up

Author – Arjun Hemmady

Publisher – Leadstart

Genre – Fiction

Pages – 363

Price - Rs. 325

Sneak Preview from the cover

Aalok Sharma, a 27-year old chartered accountant, meets the vivacious and beautiful Priyanka Mehra, on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai. They are instantly attracted to each other, though completely opposition nature. However, something is holding Aalok back. Will this thing throw a spanner in their love story? Or will he be able to overcome his demons

First Impressions

A confused guy lost in the thoughts of a girl on the cover gets the readers guessing. Is he smitten by this girl? Is she the cause of the troubled expression? Even the title couldn't provide any direction. With mixed thoughts (I avoid reading the summary on the back cover, for its fun trying to make wild guesses by merely looking at the book cover), I knew the only option was to get reading.

My view

When the author of a romantic fiction mentions he has never been any relationship, or worse still; has never ever read a romantic novel, the reader gets skeptical. It's like writing a book on medicine without having any knowledge of the trade! I wondered why was the author risking his debut with an absolutely unknown genre. Either he put this disclaimer to reassure his parents, or was weaving a story based on his perceptions (sounds too risky); for it is tough to write about relationships without having experienced even one! 

But, sometimes writing without pre conceived notions help provide a fresh outlook to an otherwise predictable story.

When the story begins with a shy and simple Aalok meeting a confident and extrovert Priyanka on a flight, I could instantly make out that the author was not lying in his introduction. The way Priyanka started the conversation with Aalok was a bit hard to chew.  Right at beginning of the story itself, I got a favour of Delhi v/s Mumbai (Aalok was from Mumbai while Priyanka from Delhi). 

Also, I didn't know one could identify a CA, if a person is silent and carries Economic Times in his bag! Oh! I love reading debuts and the fearless experimentations and expressions! 

Aalok's character is well shaped up throughout the book. Intelligent, sincere, sensitive, caring, loving, he has all the qualities a girl looks for in her ideal man. When it comes to giving freedom in his relationships, Aalok goes a bit too far; which is why one finds him dominated by women throughout the story. However, it is Priyanka who often surprises the readers with her unexpected moves. On one hand, while on the flight, she made a bold first move at Aalok, in the scene that immediately follows, she tries to portray herself as the conservative and reserved girl from another city.

But, this is just the trailer. There are many surprises from Priyanka's end for the readers. 

When Priyanka discovers there is no reservation for her in the hotel, she offered to spend a night at Aalok's house. I mean, weren't there any other hotels in the town? And one remembers that just 2 pages back, madam expressed her concern about travelling alone with a stranger.

But some people are in fact like that - unpredictable, spontaneous and straight forward. As one moves forward, Priyanka's actions continue to surprise. She gallops her way into Aalok's life and often, the reader suspects her actions as calculated moved towards something dangerous. As Aalok's sister once mentions, Priyanka surely is a drama queen!

Aalok though, almost reminded me of the Shahid Kapur of "Jab We Met"

Just when one starts enjoying the funny incidents in Aalok and Priyanka's cute love story comes a twist in the tale. Aalok has a past which holds him back to take things forward with Priyanka, who by now is head over heels with him. Worse, Aalok conceals from Priyanka the fact that he was once married. And thus begins the long flashback of Aalok's past, Tanvi his first love, their triumphs and failures.

It is here that the story falls prey to drags. What seems like a small flashback just refuses to get over. By the time one is through reading about Aalok's bitter experiences with his first marriage, the tired mind says "Priyanka who? What was she doing when we read about her last?" Finally, when the readers get a hang of what's going on, one finds Aalok stuck between his first love Tanvi, and Priyanka who gave Aalok a fresh lease of life when his life had lost its meaning.

But life still goes on. And when one reads the last page, there is a smile of appreciation both for Aalok and the author - Aalok, for being level headed and sticking to his strong value system even in times of strong emotional dilemma; the author for giving an ending that is uninfluenced by what usually sells. 

Another character that is shaped up beautifully is Aalok's sister Isha. She is the kid sister every brother would love to have - loving, caring, protective, intelligent. In her the naive Aalok finds the perfect friend, philosopher and guide. 

The author with his straight forwardness has a lot of potential and perhaps with a bit more reading of the romance genre, the next book will surely rock! If you are good with skimming, you will find the book a quick and enjoyable read. I would recommend the book for it's fresh outlook towards relationships.

My rating - 2.25/5

What I loved 

• The narrative is funny and characters well shaped up, especially Aalok and Isha. Isha the mischievous yet sensible kid sister beautifully compliments the honest, sincere and straight forward Aalok.

• The story strikes a chord with the youth with the excitement and challenges of love usually faced in relationships.

• The book gives a very strong message against alcoholism and how badly it can corrode one's life.

What could have been better

• The narrative about Aalok's past drags badly and the reader is forced to skim through to know what finally happens in his present. A little scissor work on the elaborate dialogues would have helped.

• When you are writing your debut, typos and grammatical errors can be such a spoilsport. Pg 154 (Do you what they'll start thinking?; Pg 204 (Hey about we have a cup of coffee); pg 220 (Do you What? This guy is so good)

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Pamper your pets with Heads Up For Tails

If you are a dog lover, this post is just for you.

All we dog lovers love to pamper our canine companions with the best, for they are so much a part of us. Gone are the days when pampering a dog meant buying him dog food and some hairstyling. Dogs too have their own likes and dislikes. To cater to the increasing demand of premium products in pet care, Heads Up For Tails (HUFT), India's exclusive brand for luxury pet products have come up with a range of best available products in pet care. The company is run by a team of passionate pet owners and dog-lovers who go out of their way in understanding the ever-evolving needs of dogs and the style conscious pet-owners, and curate innovative and pleasing products for the pets. 

With their online shopping portal, shopping for your furry babies is just a click away! Dog food, dog accessories, apparel, grooming products, toys, bedding solutions...the count goes on. The store also offers a wide selection of products from reputed global brands as well as from their own specially customised offerings and gift packages for doggies and cats. In case you are the types who prefers to visit the store, the HUFT stores in Select Citywalk offers one stop solution to all your requirements.

While HUFT has already established itself as a high-profiled pet supply brand, the company has now merged with Bangalore’s leading Pet retail outlet, Paws to launch Tail Lover’s Company, a whole new chain of Multi-brand Pet Supply stores. With stores in Bangalore, Delhi and their web portal, the company plans to practically cover all pet supply needs of pet lovers all over India.

In their endeavour to shower their customers oodles of love wrapped in top class products, Tail Lover's Company is working to turn our furry friends into fashionistas!

So, if you are already eager to check out their collection, sniff on at at http://www.headsupfortails.com

The joy of being a yummy mummy

When lines bring smiles

and weight gain seems worthwhile

swelling tummy signals the happiness to come

Ah! There's no bigger joy than being a mom

Motherhood is the best gift a woman gets from nature. The nine months of pregnancy are not only crucial to the development of the little life inside, but also for the mom to be. For, a woman discovers a new side of her and her relationships when she is expecting. Coping up with physical and hormonal changes does sound taxing, however all the troubles are forgotten the moment she holds her little one for the first time.

Towards the end of my first trimester, we had a ethnic dress code in office one day for an event. It was a time when morning sickness, weakness and mood swings had me at my irritated best. My hubby however, was highly patient and supportive. He motivated me to wear a saree he had bought recently for me. So, on the day of the event, I dressed up in a lovely Pochampally. As I was telling my sister about the celebrations in office, she commented, "yeah enjoy the sarees till the baby arrives, for the stretch marks and the odd blouse sizes will keep you away from them post delivery." Her comment had me shocked, for this aspect of pregnancy was not something I had anticipated while planning a baby.

That evening, while changing clothes I noticed two red lines on my tummy. Initially, I ignored them however, after 2-3 days when the lines refused to leave my tummy, I saw my worst fears coming alive. This was the trailer and stretch marks were a few weeks away!

When I asked my mom in law about it, she said motherhood comes with its own set of return gifts like stretch marks, pigmentation, itchiness, weight gain that made one feel inhibited. In the old times, an expecting mother was given a long list of Do' and don't's, as if pregnancy came with a user manual. Poor thing was so lost in following the umpteen guidelines that she couldn't even enjoy her pregnancy and always felt conscious of the changes inside her.

But, Hey! Pregnancy is not a disease! In fact, it is that time in a woman's life when she gets to enjoy extra care from her loved ones, have that much deserved me time, focus on herself for a change and just relax without feeling guilty of pending To Do's.

Being a woman of today, I knew no notion or inhibition could keep me away from enjoying my pregnancy. So, no matter who advised what, I decided to believe just two persons - my gynaec and my instincts.  With a little extra precautions and the right knowledge, I made my pregnancy an enjoyable experience that I will always cherish with a smile.

You are pregnant, stay at home now!

I am a woman of today who knows how to take care of herself. I vacationed during my pregnancy and it was one of the most chilled out vacations I ever had.

Vacationing with a glow in my 2nd trimester

Be sanskari and conceal the bump with a dupatta!

Hello! My bump is a matter of pride, not something to feel shy of. After all, the beautiful life inside the big belly was to give me the best status ever, of being a mom! Every morning, I used to scan myself in the mirror for any visible signs of the bump, and when it came, I went crazy buying maternity wear that beautifully flaunted my curves and the baby bump!

With Pigmentation and stretch marks, you will no longer look same!

This one initially had me stressed. But when my gynaec soon made my stress disappear. At her advise, I started using Bio Oil during the first trimester itself and trust me, it was an advice that helped me remain a yummy mummy with barely visible marks. The right diet, yoga, good genes and a stress free environment created by my family kept pigmentation far away.

So, the saree is still my best friend!

Eat for two, even if it means looking like two post delivery

No matter what the relatives and aunties said, I followed my gynaec's advise of focusing on quality instead of quantity. Following a healthy diet not only kept me illness free during pregnancy, but was also the secret behind my baby glow!

Pregnancy also got me to discover a funny fact about men (husbands)! No matter how silly, unorganised and careless we wives call them, fatherhood reveals the responsible, caring and loving side of them that as a wife we just miss. Knowing it was tough for me to stay away from junk food, my hubby too gave up junk and gave me company in my healthy food throughout the pregnancy!

"When there is a will, there is a way." Pregnancy does come with its own set of challenges. But with the right support, attitude and determination, every mummy can be a yummy mummy!

I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the #YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil

Why Mother's Day no longer haunts me...

For the past five years, I dreaded this day of the year. When the whole world went gaga updating their selfies with moms on social media, I preferred being unsocial on Mother's day. No outdoors, no social media, no calls, no people. While solitary confinement would be too strong a word to describe my day, I came a tad close by hiding under my shell.

Five years ago, I too used to celebrate this day like most people of my age. Mother's Day meant writing a poem each year for mom, which would get Ganga Jamuna flowing from her eyes; cooking something special for mom, which made her proud and feel sad at the same time thinking her little daughter was fast growing up. While she was at our service 24X7, 365 days of the year, Mother's Day was a good excuse to convince her for the faciaI that was subject to her endless procrastinating. Life was full of happiness and security, for mom shielded me like an umbrella and kept me safe.

Then one day, a storm came and blew my umbrella away. Just like that, God decided to have my mom's company in heaven. The meaning of Mother's Day changed overnight. From a day of celebrations, it became a day that reminded me of the void in my life. Social media played the biggest spoilsport. When I saw friends updating their status and uploading pics with their mom, my vision blurred with tears. "Why God chose to take away MY mom?" I kept asking myself! The answer is still pending when I have a tete a tete with the almighty someday. 

The more I tried to run away, the more it chased me. When my hubby's siblings dropped in to convey my mom in law Mother's Day wishes, I swallowed a lump in my throat. While I would be all smiles in front of them, to not spoil their day, I would sneak out to some moments of solitude and memories.

My sisters were still lucky. They had their own kids to the fill the void created by mom's absence. Theirs were the only calls I received, and they always told me to remember the good times and cherish the moments I got to spend with mom. 

Last year's Mother's Day however, was different. I was in the 8th month of my pregnancy and when my sister called me and asked, "So, do you feel something different this Mother's Day?" I was quick to say, "Yeah, A Hell Lot Of Kicks!!!"

"The glass is half full" mom often said. 

This year, Mother's Day finds its place back in my life. I am a mother to a 10 month old angel, who is the Sun of my solar system. Though he is too small to even understand the meaning of Mother, he definitely is a master at expressing affection; especially when he wants to go out for a walk! 

Whether mom is back or not, I don't know. But motherhood surely is back in my life, and in a beautiful new Avtar. I will continue to miss mom each day, each moment. However, the journey as a mother gives me a chance to live my mom's life and try to fill her great shoes.

My Mother's Day gift? What better than waking up to my 10 month old kicking me and saying "Umumumum....mumummah"

GAIL - Indian Speed Star

India is a land of hidden talent. We may not boast of state of the art training facilities in every region; but that does not stop our talented sportspersons from fighting against all odds and reach out for their dreams. We Indians know how to make the most of available resources. Time and again, we have witnessed some of the best sportspersons shining bright from areas unheard of. 

While the government is coming up with various programs to promote hidden talent, recently many CSR initiatives too have focussed on this aspect.

GAIL (India) Limited, the largest state owned natural gas processing and distribution company in India has recently launched grassroots athletics program - GAIL Indian Speedster in association with National Yuva Cooperative Society (NYCS) on March 22, 2016. Aiming to create a pool of best athletes from across India, GAIL Indian Speedster involves identifying, selecting and nurturing hidden talent in athletes of age group 11-17 years in 100m, 200m and 800m track events. 

When it comes to selecting the best talent, there can be no better mentor than sportspersons who have worked their way hard up to success. A panel of eminent sportspersons like P.T. Usha, Rachita Mistry, AnuradhaBiswal& Kavita Raut have been appointed in the selection committee to support selections and guide coaching camps. From creating the selecting criteria to developing training module of selected athletes, everything is taken care of by these experts. 

The program was unveiled by legendary athlete P.T. Usha along with organisers DrAshutoshKarnatak, Director (Projects), GAIL (India) Ltd, Rajesh Pande – President, National Yuva Cooperative Society Ltd (NYCS) and Maneesh Bahuguna- CEO, Anglian Medal Hunt Company.

District trials were conducted under the watchful eyes of coaches and selectors in 55 districts across 10 states. More than 25,000 children participated in these trials and of these, 850 were selected for State Level. 

The first State level camp was organised on February 27-28 at the SawaiMaan Singh Stadium, Jaipur. 60 talented young boys and girls participated of which four qualified to the next level. State trials have been conducted in Odisha (14 Selection), Delhi (28 Selection), Kerala (28 Selection), Jharkhand(4 Selection), Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Preparations are on full swing for the National camp and selection to be held in May 2016 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, which will be attended by shortlisted athletes from the states.The final trials scheduled after completion of the camp will decide the winners based on qualification criteria and their potential. Top 9 athletes will be then provided world class coaching for 5 years. The organisers hope that the initiative be successful in giving India fresh and talented representation at the Olympics.

For more information on GAIL Indian Speedster, visit their website http://www.gailindianspeedstar.org and like the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GAILIndianSpeedstar/timeline

Q : Questions kids ask : A to Z Challenge

We know kids are by nature hyper inquisitive, however there are times when their questions put the elders in a hot seat. I never realised it until my little niece began her schooling and gave me the first taste of such a situation. 

Situation 1 

We had gone shopping to Lajpat Nagar (Delhi) during Diwali time. The market was buzzing with activity as people rushed to make the most out of festive discounts. Outside every shop was a "Sale" banner, trying to sit the prettiest and brightest so as to grab maximum eyeballs. As we were about to enter such a shop, my niece suddenly pulled my mom by her Saree. "What is it dear?"my mom asked. "Nani, why do I see the Sale written on banner as Saaley?" my niece said in an innocent voice and gave her signature "I haven't done anything" smile. Who could have thought that "sale"written on banners could be deciphered in that way as well? Not only were we all in splits, along with surprised customers who had heard her, I also realised that nowadays, kids have their own way of observing and deciphering things...

Situation 2

Pretty much the same, just that the location had changed. Few days after the first episode, we were shopping in South Extn market. We had entered the store "Mango" when my niece came running and asked mom, "Nani, why have they named their store Maango (meaning to ask for something in Hindi)?' I knew she wasn't that small to understand this one, so I caught her mischief and took her out of the store promptly before she could start guessing the reasons aloud.

If it has anything to do with genes, then I am to be blamed. We had purchased a vacuum cleaner, when I was a kid. As the salesperson gave demo for the suction application, I suddenly decided to prove my out of the box thinking. "Can we use this to suck in the rats who create havoc?" I promptly asked, leaving the poor guy embarrassed and speechless. I am still teased at family get togethers for this display of intelligence and innovation.

Do you recall such incidents?

This post is written for A to Z Challenge. 

P : Premchand : A to Z Challenge

If you are a Hindi literature aficionado, there is one name that for sure would sit with pride on your bookshelf - Munshi Premchand. The king of realism, he centred his writings around social issues in pre independence India. His ability to sensitise his readers with pain of his characters can perhaps be attributed to his difficult life.  That's why, decades later, his stories based in prehistoric India still strikes a chord with modern day readers. 

I was introduced to Premchand by my mother, herself a big fan and there has been no looking back for me ever since.

Many adaptations of Premchand's works have come, but I fell in love with this TV series I found on Youtube last year. Excellent screenplay coupled with power packed performance of industry veterans make these stories a treat to watch.

Here are some episodes of the amazing series - 

Godaan

Nirmala

Sawa Ser Gehun

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

N : News readers : A to Z Challenge

Ask any kid about their favourite TV program, and you will get answers ranging from cartoons, music shows to sitcoms. I bet if you will ever get to hear "NEWS" as the answer.

But, childhood in the 80s was very different. Instead of being spoilt by choices, we spoiled the game for them, by being simple. There were limited channels and limited programs, which is why they have an amazing recall value in our minds even today.

Every evening, the moment clock struck 8, I would dash towards our TV set to watch my favourite program - English news.

Back then, neither did I understand a word of what was being said on the TV, nor was I interested in the faces of politicians showing up everyday like uninvited guests on TV screens. But there was just one thing that kept me glued to the news - News readers.

Back in the 80s, Doordarshan boasted of legendary news readers, whose style still makes them every news reader's idol. My favourite was Rini Khanna whom I almost worshipped for her immaculate diction and perfect phonetics. I would observe everything - right from the clothes to styling, pauses and pronunciation,

Once the news would be over, my bulletin would commence. Wrapped in my mom's saree, I would grab the newspaper and pretend to be the news reader. Like a copycat, I would imitate their expressions, poise and diction, much to the irritation of my forced viewers!

While destiny took me on a different career path, those news readers have occupied an irreplaceable place in my heart. 

If you too remember the news readers of the 80s, this video will be a treat 

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

L : Lost : A to Z Challenge

Thinking of letter L, I was feeling somewhat lost, for I wanted to refrain from taking up the very popular Love. 

Have you ever been lost?

Well, most of us feel lost when we find ourselves back to our office desks on Monday mornings, don't we? But, I am asking about actually being lost.

How does it feel to be lost in a crowd?

We were vacationing in Orissa. I must have been around 7 back then. That afternoon is still as afresh in my mind as impressions on sand. After hours of playtime with waves, it was time to shower and change. Mom took me and my sis to the shower rooms while Dad and big bro preferred to laze out under the sun. Once I was done, mom asked me to wait while she and my sis got ready. But I was just too naughty to wait. So I told her that like a good gal, I will walk out straight to Dad and brother and wait with them. Since they were just outside the shower rooms on the beach, mom readily agreed and asked me to go straight to dad.

But if children did everything as instructed by elders, we wouldn't have childhood stories!

I was addicted to collecting sea shells. The moment I walked out, I began my treasure hunting and stuffed the findings in my pockets. So focussed I was that I even missed spotting Dad sitting nearby and instead walked away, building my treasure. After a while, when my legs cried of fatigue and pockets of being overstuffed, I suddenly noticed the noises of children playing had faded. When I looked up, the coastline was heading for a curve. 

That's when it hit me. In the age of no mobile phones and navigation, I was lost on the sea beach!

I felt a sudden burst of heat behind my ears. But, I had no time for fear.  So I did the next best possible thing - About turn. 

Suddenly, the treasure in my pockets became excess baggage and I offloaded some as I struggled to keep pace. I was scanning each face on the beach, but couldn't spot the ones I was looking for.

I had heard horror stories of goons kidnapping lost kids and forcing them into begging, so I controlled my tears. 

By then, my family too had discovered I was missing and search operation was at full swing. While mom was hysterical, my elder sister with her presence of mind intact was scanning every nook and corner. But it wasn't a market with defined boundaries. It was a huge coastline!

I guess, God is very kind and pardons us for our mistakes. That afternoon, God pardoned me for not obeying my mom's instructions. My sister, with her 6/6 vision, fortunately recognised my frock from faraway, which almost appeared to her like a dot. The next moment, she was running non stop to chase that dot.

Just when tears were about to overpower my courage, I saw my sister running towards me. We had a typical Bollywood reunion as we hugged each other and I broke down. That day, she was nothing less than God for me, for had she not spotted me, perhaps I wouldn't be writing this blog. 

Have you ever been lost?

This post is written for the A to Z Challenge.

M: More is less: A to Z Challenge

The more we have, the less it seems
We run to chase the impossible dreams

What if less was better than more
Would we still run the rat race to achieve new high score?

Written for A to Z Challenge

Can We Bubble Wrap Their Childhood?

This was published in Parentous

The other day, Mr. Hubby & I were having a small tiff on the safety features of S’s pram. I had carefully scrutinized and chosen a pram which seemed safe enough with its sidebars cushioned. However, little S’s enhanced sense of mischief had found a bar on the back side to bang his head against. Before I knew it, Mr. Hubby had bubble wrapped all possible open metallic surfaces of the pram. It now looked like a new pram straight out of the showroom, all bubble wrapped.

That’s when the thought struck my mind, “Can we bubble wrap their childhood?”

Parenting is a situation nothing can prepare one for, except parenting itself! During my pregnancy, we used to visit the children’s park every evening and spend some time looking at the kids playing. As we looked at the kids joyously playing with sand, we made tall claims of not pampering our child with unnecessary luxuries and trying to keep him/her close to the nature. We had spent a childhood climbing and falling from trees, playing outdoors in extreme weather and we wanted our child to be as rough and tough as us.

Ironically, the very claims we made with much confidence, vanished into thin air as soon as I delivered little S! Continue reading...

K: Kaleidoscopes :AtoZ Challenge

It was love at first sight! At the annual science fair, I happened to mistake the small cylindrical object for a pencil box. But when I was unable to open the box, the salesman guided me, "Look inside and you will discover a whole new world."

Indeed I did!

One peep inside was just not enough, for the ocean of shapes and colours swept my heart away! I often looked up to smile at the salesman however, each time I would peeped back, new shapes and colours welcomed my eyes. It was tough to understand them, just like it is tough to understand life, with its various hues and forms; or people around us who change their ways and colours at different angles of life. Curiosity to see them all conflicted with the frustration to know it all.

Finally, the heart said, "What the heck? Just enjoy!"

And so I did by satiating my eyes with the myriad shapes n colours. Sometimes sitting back and enjoying is the best one can do. We only live once, so explore as much as you can.

My eyes just kept asking for more, until I spent the money in my pocket to make it mine forever...

That was my first date with Kaleidoscope!

This post is written for A to Z Challenge.

O : Online shopping : A to Z Challenge

If I had to describe online shopping in one word, I would say "boon." After moving away from hometown into a city which runs at breakneck speed, regular shopping had become a distant dream. The mere thought of going out for shopping gave me jitters, as I visualised miles of traffic jams. Even when I was expecting my son, I kept pushing the mandatory baby shopping in the procrastination tray, until I was a week before my delivery. Fortunately, online shopping came to be my saviour and within 3 days, the delivery boy was smiling at my doorstep with a bagful of all the things mentioned in the hospital list.

But, as they say everything ha its own charms and perils. I too burnt my fingers during initial attempts. This post might ring in nostalgia if you too have been a victim of online shopping going wrong.

Wonderful blunderzzzzzz

This post is written for A to Z Challenge.

P : Posters : A to Z Challenge

In the late 80s and early 90s, the posters on one's walls reflected one's tastes and personality. So important was having the right poster that youngsters spent hours in Archies galleries just to pick up the right poster. For those who couldn't afford the expensive posters from galleries, cheap imitations sold on roadside and flea markets provided the same happiness. And for those who couldn't make it even to the imitation posters, magazines were the best option. Every issue of the magazine would have a poster of some celebrity. It was a win win situation for publishers, for a good poster in an issue ensured record sales.

In today's digital world, wallpapers have replaced posters for the world has shrieked to our smartphones. 

Leaving you with images of some popular posters -

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

J : Just Do It: A to Z Challenge

The simple no nonsense punchline of Nike always brings a naughty smile on my face, for it reminds me of a very silly incident from my childhood. For us, the children of 80s, malls and international brands were non existent until late 90s, by when most of us had reached high school. 

It was my cousin's marriage. As was the culture, relatives swarmed the house like bees days before the wedding. It was tough then, to find space for oneself in such hustle and bustle. The topmost floor of my uncle's house had been recently vacated by his tenant, an ace fashion photographer, and they couldn't help boasting about their high profile ex - tenant.

The top floor was left open to accommodate relatives. One morning, as my younger cousin and I were playing, we spotted a strange poster on the bathroom door. Those were the days when having a poster on the doors and walls reflected one's attitude. Hours were spent in Archies Galleries trying to pick the perfect poster that complimented one's persona.

However, the poster we saw on that door had nothing extraordinary to add to someone's personality. Nor did it display the usual cute cartoons that made gals crazy. Instead, it just mentioned three words above a curve - JUST DO IT.

Being the youngest of the lot also made us the naughtiest and we never left an opportunity for mischief. The poster got our grey matter in action. For long, we kept wondering why would someone choose to have these words on a poster. 

Finally, we came to a consensus, "Just like we hate to get up in the morning and go to school, the previous tenant too, hated mornings. So, he put up this poster to console himself. We can't stop our moms from waking us up early and forcing into shower. Then, the only way to push oneself is to say - Just do it and get over"

With feeling of triumph over our successful research and sympathy for the poor guy, the two of us made this a secret joke until the wedding functions were over. Every time, we would want a good laugh, we would look at each other, say "Just Do It" and start laughing. The elders would get curious about our mysterious joke for a while and eventually resume their business. 

Of course, I didn't have to wait for long to realise that the words on the poster were not customised for the tenant. The day I bought my first Nike, I had to tell myself the same three words to stop laughing and finish shopping - JUST DO IT!

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

With Flintobox, summer vacations rock!

When I was a child, summer vacations meant either stay overs at cousins' place, or joining hobby classes. Most of the times, hobby classes were left halfway to make for family holidays. Few days before the holidays would get over, I would start fretting over the pile of holiday homework and get into the fire fighting mode.

Fortunately for today's kids, there are plenty of options to make the summer vacations worthwhile and have some "fun while you learn" moments.

Recently, while exploring such options for my nephew, I came across Flintobox, that curates subscription activity boxes for kids, aged between 2 and 8 years of age. While most of the times, we as moms spend hours deciding which activity suits our kid, Flintobox makes our life easy. One can chose the activity boxes as per the age group. What's more, each box also details the specific skills it aims to develop in the child.

Did you know?

• 90% of the brain development happens by the age of six
• Early development and positive interactions during the age of 2-8 determines the overall development of children for years to come
• Flintobox activity boxes are designed by game designers, montessori and pedagogy experts and child psychologists
• Crafted with kid friendly materials, the box is shipped all across India

This summer, Flintobox has decided to make vacations colourful with their new Colour Carnival Box - an activity kit exclusively for toddlers. Curated for children between the age of two and three, these boxes introduce the concepts of colours and patterns in a unique and interactive manner. The activities are designed to cover 12 developmental areas including coordination, cognitive and gross motor, creativity, exploration, language and social skills. The box with its 6 play activities, including a storybook is the perfect way to keep the child involved and away from excessive TV or screen time.

The best part is, whether you are at home or elsewhere, Flintobox goes with you and makes your vacations perfect!

Flintobox has released two new themes for the month of April for children aged 3 to 4 (Junior Colour Scientist) and 4 to 8 (Wildlife Safari). Limited number of boxes are produced every month, so grab one before stocks finish!

eFyDo.com - Your personal health secretary

Being new to the city, Mr. Hubby and I faced a tough time searching for the perfect paediatrician. Like every new parent, we too were super protective about our child and fretted over the slightest of ailments. We wanted the best paediatrician for our baby. So, wherever I would spot a mom in my situation, I would ask her about the paediatrician she goes to. 

And that was not all...

Maintaining the paperwork was another herculean task. With frequent doctor visits, there was a huge pile of papers and reports I carried for doctor visits and often messed up when asked for a particular document.

Seems team eFyDo.com was listening to my troubles all this while...

Deepak Rathi & Kulvinder Singh, two friends who were struck by the plight of people with chronic ailments who lost a lot of productive time keeping test reports organised.

And so was born eFyDo.com

Whether it is finding a new doctor, or maintain relationship with your current doctor; eFyDo.com is the one stop solution. eFyDo.com account helps the patient to maintain their records online, which means no more carrying half a dozen files to the doctor's office. 

It is also a win win situation for doctors as they don't have to wait for the patient fumbling between pages of reports to find the correct one.

And that's not all...

Apart from scheduling doctor's appointments and maintaining records online, eFyDo.com has also brought yoga to its bouquet. One can now easily look for a yoga trainer online. What's more, customers can experience a virtual yoga studio online while sitting in the comfort of their homes.

So, if you are looking for hassle free healthcare, eFyDo.com is your personal health secretary!